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(No Model.)

T. E. KEAVY. ROTARY ENGINE. No. 409,591. Patented Aug. 20, 18 89.

N. Pl-TIERs. Pho| Li|hogr=phnn Washinglcm D. C.

Wi'ZnesJeJ.

UNITED STATES ROTARY OF MEDINA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO PATENT OFFICE.

TI-IE MEDINA ENGINE SAME PLACE.

ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,591, dated August20, 1889.

Application filed March 23, 1889. Serial No. 304,417. (No model.)

To aZZ 1011 0171, it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. KEAVY, of

Medina, in the county of Medina and State of Ohio, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in rotary engines in which thesteam-cylinder is adjustable towardand from the piston-wheel to the endthat a tight joint is had.along the contact line of piston-wheel andcylinder without the aid of packing.

My invention also relates to details of construction hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the claims, the object being to si1nplifythe construction and to reduce the initial cost of the engine.

My invention is designed as an improve ment on a rotary engine describedin United States Letters Patent No. 351,231, granted October 19, 1886,to G. A. Washburn, and to which patent reference is hereby made.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is anend elevation, in section.

A represents the steanrcylinder; A, the bed-plate5 B, the engine-shaft;B, the bandwheel, and O the piston-wheel. The shaft is journaled in andsupported by pillow-blocks B the latter being mounted on the bed-plateindependent of the steamcylinder. I

For securing a tight joint along the contact-line of piston-wheel andcylinder between the induction and eduction ports, respectively, I andJ, I hinge the cylinder in position to render it adjustable toward andfrom such contact-line, and for this purpose the cylinder is providedwith one or more cars a and the bed-plate with corresponding ears CL,the series of cars being pierced laterally for receiving the pintle. Thecylinderis provided with lug A and the bed-plate with adj usting-screwA, the latter passing loosely through a hole in the lug, with nuts a and(6 arranged above and below the lug, by manipulating which the cylinderis tilted and brought accurately to the desired position.

By turning the shaft by means of the bandwheel or otherwise it is easilydetermined when the pistonwheel and cylinder are brought together withsufficient pressure to make a tight joint at the union, and at the sametime causing only nominal friction of the parts. The stuffing-boxesb,withwhich the cylinderheads are provided, fit the shaft loosely toaccommodate the slight changes necessary in adjusting the cylinder, andwith elastic packing in the stuffing-boxes there is no trouble in makingtight joints around the shaft. Of course the cylinder, in common withany variety of steanrcylinders for engines, will, when badly worn,require reboring and the piston and piston-wheels will requirerefitting, and between the times of such reboring and refitting thenecessary adjustment of the cylinder will be slight. In the patentaforesaid are shown longitudinal 7c grooves on the faces of thepiston-wheels with metal packing-bars inserted therein and springs toset out the packing and retainingscrews to limit the action of suchsprings. Such packing devices were expensive, troublesome, and inoperation noisy, and with my improved construction packing of any kindat this part is not required. \Vheel O has longitudinal deep slots 0 setradially and located on opposite sides of the wheel, in which slotsoperate, respectively, pistons D, these pistons being yieldinglyconnected by steadypins (1. The latter extend with easy fits through the holes made through the shaft and through the adjacent walls of thewheel at the 8 5 bottom of the slots. These steady pins had better bemade fast to one piston, while the other ends thereof operate with aneasy fit in holes made in the opposing piston, so that the pistons maydistend and collapse a go trifle in addition to the reciprocatingmovement of the piston in slots 0. Between the free end of eachsteady-pin and the opposing walls of the piston, at the bottom of theholes, are located light springs d for holding the pis- 5 tonsdistended, whereby packing-blocks d are made to engage the cylinder withgentle pressure sufficient for the purpose. Of course the steadypinsmight fit loosely in. both pistons, if such construction were preferred,in 10-2 which case each piston might be backed with 'springs d. A goodpractice, however, is to have one steady-pin rigidly connected with eachpiston and operating loosely in the other piston, with springs dconnected with the loose end of each pin to act on the loose end of theopposing piston; but this, however, is a matter of no great importance.Packingblocks (1 aforesaid are of the form shown, being somewhat morethan semi-cylindrical in cross-section, with corresponding seats in theends of the piston for receiving these blocks, whereby the blocks havingbeen slid in end Wise are retained in their places, but may oscillate atrifle, so that the outer faces thereof may always fit the bore of thecylinder. The eduction-port J is located far enough away from thecontact-line of piston-wheel and cylinder to give free vent to theexhaust steam, port J discharging into the exhaustchamber J, witheXhaust-oipej located, preferably, opposite this port. With suchconstruction little or no back-pressure is had except after the pistonpasses the eductionport, and such vapor as may be retained in advance ofthe piston is discharged through a so-called back-pressure vent or portj, the latter leading from near the contact-line aforesaid anddischarging into chamber J.

Heretofore much difficulty was had in properly lubricating the internalportions of the engine. The lubricant introduced in the usual way intothe steam induction-pipe did not find its way into the slots of thepistonwheel, and consequently the pistons and steady-pins were notlubricated, whereby much friction and wear ensued. To avoid thisdifficulty, I locate the oiler L in position to discharge into a centralhere I) of the shaft, and as bore Z) is traversed by the larger holesthrough which the steady-pins pass, the oil first engages the steady-pinand from thence lubricates the pistons, after which the oil circulateswith the steam within the cylinder, thus lubricating all the internalmembers of the engine. A small steam-pipe Z, leading from the inductionsteam-pipe, discharges into the oil for forcing the lubricant into theengine as against the steam-pressure in the cylinder.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In a rotary engine, the combination, withpiston-wheel and shaft, the latter being journaled in stationary boxes,substantially as indicated, of a base, a steam-cylinder inclosing suchpiston-wheel, the cylinder being hinged or pivoted to the base inposition to render the cylinder adjustable toward and from thecontact-line between piston-wheel and cylinder, and devices for lockingthe cylinder against movement, substantially as set forth.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination, with piston-wheel and cylindereccentric with each other and having a contact-line, the said cylinderbeing hinged or pivoted to the base in position to render it adjustabletoward and away from the contact-line, and devices for locking thecylinder against movement, of induction and eduction ports,substantially as indicated, and a back-pressure vent or port, the sameentering cylinder near the contactline, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification, in the presence of twowitnesses, this 96th day of January, 1889.

. THOMAS E. KEAVY.

Witnesses:

CHAS. H. DORER, CHAS. R. PHILLIPS.

